Sliding mounting assembly for a cover

ABSTRACT

A sliding mounting assembly for a cover is connected to a cover and has a stationary bracket and a sliding bracket. The stationary bracket has a resilient stop. The resilient stop is mounted inside the stationary bracket and has a medial stop. The sliding bracket is mounted slidably in the stationary bracket and has a rear surface and multiple detent protrusions formed on and protruding from the rear surface in a longitudinal line. Adjacent detent protrusions slightly clamp the medial of the resilient stop to hold the sliding bracket in position relative to the stationary bracket. The cover connected to the sliding mounting assembly can be moved to cover or expose the electronic transmission ports sequentially. Unused transmission ports will not be exposed to the environment to reduce the chance of objects under the cover being contaminated, coated with dust and grime or damaged by foreign matter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mounting assembly, and more particularly to a sliding mounting assembly for a cover.

2. Description of Related Art

Most electronic devices have electronic transmission ports to connect to electronic transmission ports on other similar or complementary electronic devices to allow the electronic devices to communicate and operate with each other.

Normally, the electronic transmission ports on electronic devices, especially on portable electronic devices are exposed to the environment and are accumulate airborne dirt and grime so covers are mounted on the electronic devices. Generally, the covers are connected to the electronic device respectively by hinges, are capable of covering the electronic transmission ports to protect the electronic transmission ports and pivot away from the electronic devices to connect a cable to the transmission port.

However, modern portable electronic devices such as notebook computers, PDAs and the like often have numerous transmission ports. Since a hinge pivotally connects a cover for multiple transmission ports on an electronic device, the cover covers or exposes all the electronic transmission ports simultaneously. This causes unused transmission ports to be exposed to the environment and increases the chance that the electronic transmission port will be contaminated and coated with dust and grime or damaged by foreign matter.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a sliding mounting assembly for a cover to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a sliding mounting assembly for a cover to mount a cover slidably on an electronic device or another fixture.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sliding mounting assembly that allows a cover to slide to different positions to partially or completely expose objects covered by the cover.

The sliding mounting assembly for a cover in accordance with present invention is connected to a cover and has a stationary bracket and a sliding bracket. The stationary bracket has a resilient stop. The resilient stop is mounted inside the stationary bracket and has a medial stop. The sliding bracket is mounted slidably in the stationary bracket and has a rear surface and multiple detent protrusions formed on and protruding from the rear surface in a longitudinal line. Adjacent detent protrusions slightly clamp the medial stop of the resilient stop to hold the sliding bracket in position relative to the stationary bracket. The cover connected to the sliding mounting assembly can be moved to cover or expose the electronic transmission ports sequentially. Unused transmission ports will not be exposed to the environment to reduce the chance of objects under the cover being contaminated, coated with dust or grime or damaged by foreign matter.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sliding mounting assembly for a cover in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the sliding mounting assembly in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operational front view of the sliding mounting assembly in FIG. 1 mounted on a notebook computer and connected to a cover that covers multiple electronic transmission ports;

FIG. 4 is an operational front view of the sliding mounting assembly in FIG. 3 in position to expose one electronic transmission port;

FIG. 5 is an operational front view of the sliding mounting assembly in FIG. 3 in position to expose two electronic transmission ports; and

FIG. 6 is an operational front view of the sliding mounting assembly in FIG. 3 in position to expose three electronic transmission ports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the sliding mounting assembly for a cover is attached to a device such as a notebook computer (30) and to a cover (40) and comprises a stationary bracket (10) and a sliding bracket (20).

The stationary bracket (10) has two ends, a top edge, a bottom edge, a front surface, two optional mounting tabs (11), two optional track mounts (12), two tracks (13) and a resilient stop (15). The front surface has two fasteners (14) formed on and protruding from the front surface of the stationary bracket (10) longitudinally in line with each other. The fasteners (14) may be threaded holes and bolts screwed respectively into the threaded holes or protrusions. The mounting tabs (11) extend respectively from the ends of the stationary bracket (10), and each mounting tab (11) has a mounting hole (110). The track mounts (12) are L-shaped and are formed respectively along and protrude forward from the top and bottom edges of the stationary bracket (10), and each track mount (12) has a longitudinal slot (120). The longitudinal slot (120) faces the longitudinal slot (120) in the other track mount (12). The tracks (13) are U-shaped, are securely mounted respectively at the top and bottom edges of the stationary bracket (10) and may be mounted respectively in the slots (120) in the track mounts (12), and each track (13) has an inner surface and a groove (130) formed longitudinally in the inner surface and facing the groove (130) in the other track (13). The resilient stop (15) has two ends, two connectors (150) and a medial stop (151). The connectors (150) are formed respectively near the ends, correspond respectively to and are mounted respectively on the fasteners (14) on the stationary bracket (10) and may be hooks or through holes. The medial stop (151) is formed between the two ends of the resilient stop (15), protrudes down and has a symmetrically curved edge.

The sliding bracket (20) is mounted slidably against the front surface of the stationary bracket (10) between the tracks (13) and has a front surface, a rear surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, two optional rails (21) and multiple detent protrusions (22). The rails (21) are formed on the rear surface, protrude respectively up and down respectively beyond the top and bottom edges of the sliding bracket (20) and are slidably mounted respectively in the grooves (130) in the tracks (13) on the stationary bracket (10). The detent protrusions (22) are formed on and protrude out from the rear surface of the sliding bracket (20) in a longitudinal line at intervals corresponding to the medial stop (151) to selectively engage the medial stop (151) between adjacent detent protrusions (22) and hold the sliding bracket (20) in position.

With further reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the sliding mounting assembly can be mounted on a notebook computer (30) having a side surface with multiple transmission ports (31, 32, 33, 34) so a cover (40) attached to the sliding mounting assembly can selectively cover all the transmission ports (31, 32, 33, 34) or expose one, two, three or all the transmission ports (31, 32, 33, 34). The stationary bracket (10) of the sliding mounting assembly is attached securely to the side surface beside the transmission ports (31, 32, 33, 34) of the notebook computer (30) by the mounting tabs (11) with screws or other fasteners extending through the mounting holes (110) and attached to the notebook computer (30). The cover (40) is attached securely to the front surface of the sliding bracket (20).

The medial stop (151) of the resilient stop (15) is held selectively between adjacent detent protrusions (22) on the sliding bracket (20) to expose one or more transmission ports (31) and the keep the remaining transmission ports (32, 33, 34) covered.

Consequently, transmission ports (31, 32, 33, 34) that are not being used will not be exposed to the environment so the chance that the electronic transmission ports (31, 32, 33, 34) will be contaminated, coated with dust or grime or damaged by foreign matter will be greatly reduced.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A sliding mounting assembly for a cover comprising a stationary bracket having two ends; a top edge; a bottom edge; a front surface having two fasteners formed on and protruding from the front surface of the stationary bracket longitudinally in line with each other; two tracks being U-shaped and being securely mounted respectively at the top and bottom edges of the stationary bracket, and each track having an inner surface; and a groove formed longitudinally in the inner surface and facing the groove in the other track; a resilient stop having two ends; two connectors being formed respectively near the ends, corresponding respectively to and being mounted respectively on the fasteners on the stationary bracket; and a medial stop being formed between the two ends of the resilient stop, protruding down and having a symmetrically curved edge; and a sliding bracket being mounted slidably against the front surface of the stationary bracket between the tracks and having a front surface; a rear surface; a top edge; a bottom edge; and multiple detent protrusions being formed on and protruding out from the rear surface of the sliding bracket in a longitudinal line at intervals corresponding to the medial stop to selectively engage the medial stop between adjacent detent protrusions and hold the sliding bracket in position.
 2. The sliding mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary bracket further has two track mounts being L-shaped and being formed respectively along and protruding forward from the top and bottom edges of the stationary bracket, and each track mount having a longitudinal slot facing the longitudinal slot in the other track mount; the tracks are mounted respectively in the slots in the track mounts; and the sliding bracket further has two rails formed on the rear surface, protruding respectively up and down respectively beyond the top and bottom edge of the sliding bracket and slidably mounted respectively in the grooves in the tracks on the stationary bracket.
 3. The sliding mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connectors are hooks.
 4. The sliding mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary bracket further has two mounting tabs extending respectively from the ends of the stationary bracket, each mounting tab having a mounting hole. 